RFID tags - an invasion of privacy?

[Aloros]

Just wanted to stimulate a little discussion and see what others think. I wrote a paper on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)tags and the controversy surrounding them back when I was in college. It''s really interesting to see the hypothetical utilizations of this new technology realized.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070626/hl_afp/ushealthsciencetechnology;_ylt=Aq3179IClL.XvCJqeCKkeg7MWM0F
Just read this on the news.

What do you think? Great new life-saving tool or a scary invasion of privacy?

I''d heard they''ve started tagging, or are going to start tagging, passports as well to speed up the traveling process.

 

[zdrastvootya]

Sorry, didn''t read your link yet but it sounds like you''re familiar with the technology.

I read (on boingboing.net) that a device to scan all your rfid tags could be portable and have a range of 3 - 5 feet. Someone could walk next to you and pick up your info. Do you know if info. on rfid key fobs is generally encrypted?

Z.

 

[Julianna]

RFID: Great for retail, maybe not so great for humans.

We shall see.

 

[Aloros]

I''m sure they''d have it encrypted, and I suppose that''s some relief. I wonder how difficult it would be to break an encryption though?

Sometimes, when I''m petting my cat, I can feel the little RFID tag (microchip!) under the skin on his shoulder. I shudder to think of feeling the same thing underneath my skin.

 

[Mara]

i remember reading about how SA''s in high end luxury stores were involved in a scam where they would have RFID scanners in bags and the like so that when someone asked to see a $1500 bag, they''d put it on the counter and the customer would play around with it and the scanner would be pulling their cc/dl/etc information from their purse, then the SA''s were selling them to companies for identity theft. it was some article in the WSJ or NYT or something....anyway, pretty sucky for sure. makes you a little paranoid.

 

[strmrdr]

In order for it too work it would take a nation wide database of everyone''s health care information.
The insurance companies sure would love it!
Yes its a huge invasion.

The rdif tag doesn''t have enough storage to store the info so it would have to store a id number which ties into a nationwide database.
Sounds like a backdoor real-id system to me.

What I could see is a smart medical alert pendant with a protective cover that is only readable when its opened and in direct contact with a computer device that has say 512k of storage.
That should be enough to store anyone''s medical history that an ER might need.
I keep a printed list in my wallet with my medical history on it so it wouldn''t be that big a deal to me.
but heck no to rfid chips!!!

 

[lumpkin]

Can you say 666? I don''t like the idea at all.